California women receiving welfare who complete an associate's degree or certificate for work can earn substantially more money in the two years after college than they did before college, according to data released this week by the California Community College District.

The report, "From Jobs to Careers: How California Community College Credentials Pay off for Welfare Participants,'' was issued Thursday by the Center for Law and Social Policy and the California Community College Chancellor's Office.

The study tracked the employment rates and median annual earnings of participating female welfare recipients who exited the California community college system in 1999 and 2000.

According to the chancellor's office, California's welfare program, CalWORKS, allows participants to attend a California community college for 18-24 months as a way to satisfy the work requirements mandated by the federal welfare law.

The study's authors found the more education a woman received, the greater her employment rate became following her exit from college.

"This study shows that allowing welfare participants access to postsecondary education is a shrewd long-term investment,'' said Anita Mathur, lead author of the study. "Community colleges are helping low-income parents prosper in the labor market and are reducing the need for welfare.''

Back To Home Page